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C.M. Punk vs Ricky Starks
This feud really makes my head hurt. I do understand why C.M. Punk is still a babyface. The crowd cheered everything Starks said (not that he said anything heelish) and save for a small but vocal minority the crowd booed Punk. I was having flashbacks of 2018 with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair.
I just don’t get the point of swimming against the current. Given that Punk stole a line from 1991-’92 Ric Flair by calling himself “the real world’s champion,” it seems like TK wants to position Punk as the face versus a heel MJF, which sounds like a very dangerous idea. I assume we get some promo work this week to set up their eventual showdown which will probably take place at All In.
Grade: C+
FTR vs Adam Cole and MJF
This match is the prize for MJF & Cole winning the Blind Eliminator Tournament. If we’re being completely honest, the match itself is secondary to the presumed post-match angle. It seems most likely that MJF turns on Cole, but coming out of this week’s Dynamite there’s somewhere between a 10-20 percent chance that Cole actually turns on Max.
That would be a brazen booking move for Tony Khan. It would also alter the dynamics of a future Punk vs. MJF match. At this point, it might also be the best course of action.
It’s hard to imagine any scenario short of a miracle in which babyface Adam Cole doesn’t come out of this looking like a dolt.
Getting back to this week, I expect a very good match between these teams and an FTR win to lead to the turn. Cole and MJF feud with each other for the AEW World Title and FTR move on face the winners of the ridiculous battle royal on Rampage.
Grade: B+
Andrade El Idolo vs House of Black
Things come to a head this week between Andrade and House of Black when Andrade takes on Buddy Matthews in a ladder match where Andrade’s mask is hanging above the ring.
I generally am critical of ladder matches because all too often it’s just a ladder match for the sake of a ladder match. There’s at least some justification for this this type of stipulation.
That said it feels a little soon to blow off this feud especially without an Andrade vs Malaki match. That makes me think that Buddy wins this match probably with some help from Julia Hart (the rest of HOB are banned from the building) and makes good on his threat to burn Andrade’s mask in front of him.
I’m fully invested in this program and I expect these two to do some insane things to each other in this match.
Grade: A
Luchasaurus/Christian Cage vs Darby Allin; Luchasaurus/Christian Cage vs Scorpio Sky
In 2003 legendary rap duo Outkast released a Grammy-winning double album called “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.” In reality, it was actually two solo albums (one from each member) released together. That’s what’s going on with the TNT title.
Darby Allin won the Royal Rumble and World War III-inspired Royal Rampage to earn a shot at Luchasaurus at All Out in September. Last Saturday we saw Darby confront Evil Steve Jobs and his dino minion.
During the resulting tag match, Scorpio Sky was shown watching from a skybox. Clearly, he’s also seeking a title match. Sky and Darby are very different people with very different aesthetics, promo styles, and different levels of over.
These programs are apparently going to run in parallel but come across differently. It’s an interesting approach for sure. I assume Sky gets his match at Wembley and loses. As for Darby, well, that outcome is a coin flip right now.
Grades: A: N/A
Bullet Club Gold
Bullet Club Gold are being built back up following their loss to FTR. Last week, Juice Robinson & Jay White defeated Action Andretti & Darius Martin. This week, Jay & Juice team with one of the Gunns to face Andretti & Martin & El Hijo del Vikingo. It’s a good time any time Vikingo is on TV. Unfortunately, he’s going to be on the losing side. This is all about the Bang Bang Gang.
Grade: N/A
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. QTV
Unless I missed something there was zero movement on the Hobbs/QTV story. Not much more to say other than reiterating Hobbs needs make a clear from this clown car of an act ASAP.
Grade: C
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Miro
Miro’s squash tour continues. His latest victim was Nick Comoroto. Comoroto tried to get a leg up by ambushing Miro but found himself verbally submitting to the Game Over camel clutch in short order.
It’s probably time for Miro to move into a feud, although I still struggle to figure out who would make a good opponent/victim.
Grade: N/A
Women’s Division
Collision still doesn’t have an exclusive women’s story. I think that’s a reflection of the compromised state the women’s division overall. Things have been off ever since Jamie Hayter got injured. Plans were derailed and it feels like TK is playing catch up.
It doesn’t seem like Jamie Hayter is going to make it to All In in her native country as Shida is being positioned as Toni Storm’s next opponent. Strangely, Shida is scheduled for Rampage instead of Collision.
I understand things got turned around with an unplanned injury but it’s time to see some real consistency with the women’s division again.
Grade: N/A
RECOMMENDED NEXT: AEW ALL ELITE ASSESSMENT: The fan in the crowd with the sign wasn’t wrong about AEW’s booking of the Women’s Division
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Powell’s AEW Dynamite Hit List: Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Lucha Bros vs. Best Friends, Cassidy vs. AR Fox for the AEW International Title, Darby vs. Swerve, Valkyrie vs. Baker
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